Character A.I.

 I wanted to share an exercise I did for my Thursday night Low Fantasy Gaming group.

I put this together on a lark for a night where I would not be present. It was, in many ways, a matter of self-parody. I looked at how I played the PCs and made a random table of the thi gs I did most often with my two characters. Then I jokingly gave it to my GM. The funny thing is that he used it, and they worked. My characters continued to be useful, effective, and in-character.

What Would Lieres Do? 

When in doubt, this handy table will help you play Lieres to perfection. 

d20	Behavior
1-5	Stand around trying to look intelligent... Or hum / sing a bawdy if appropriate.
6-10	Scout ahead about 20' with hooded lantern if appropriate.
11-13	Climb something high to get a better view.
14-15	Ask a question that he hopes will make him look clever.
16-17	Pick a random pile of debris, bone, etc. to search for lost coin.
18	Flirt with random party member to amuse or annoy.
19	Look for something that looks or is poisonous for future use.
20	Do something legitimately useful.

💀

What Would Kalder Do? 

This table should provie moderately useful Kalder emulation. 

d20	Behavior
1-5	Stand around trying to look inscrutable
6-10	Open his mind to try to locate a source of strange vibrations. Or consult a finding if appropriate.
11-13	Say something encouraging to a nervous NPC
14-15	Ask a question that he knows will make him look clever.
16-17	Set fire to something to ensure a power source.
18	Use a piton to wedge a door, box, etc. open.
19	Use a Cantrip to clean and tidy himself and others, fumigate bugs, or repair minor damage.
20	Do something legitimately useful.

This turned out to be an excellent exercise in character-building and understanding how I play. I had to ask: "What do I do when I play this character?", "What are the strategies I use the most?" and "How do I characterize them when I play."

It both let me figure out how I could play the characters smarter, and lean into the characters personalities to better entertain my fellow players.